Kolkata: a week after the country allows the cinema to operate with a capacity of 50% seating, there is a mixed response between cine-goers.
While some cinemas have seen drastic sauces in sales, others have recorded steady numbers.
The latter, in some theaters, has encouraged many people wondering whether footsteps consist of Covid survivors interested in ending their house isolation by traveling to the theater.
Basu Debjiban from Basusree, which has a seating capacity of 1.020, told TII, the cinema has recorded sales of 650 tickets for the Matinee ‘Tonic’ show on January 2.
“It’s very big for a collection of single screen theater in Kolkata.
At that time, the government allowed 70% residential,” he said.
However, things change after a surge in the case.
“Now, we see around 60 tickets sold per show.
With a low number, we have lowered the show from four to two.
We are considering the deadly temporarily,” said Basu.
The owner of the soccer Pranab Roy said, “Sales ‘Spider-Man: NO WAY Home’, ‘Tonic’ and ‘Pushpa’ was originally very good.
After the Covid number soared, there was a panic and sales fell to 20% this week.” The owner of Priya Arijit Dutta told TOI the steps “made sense”.
“We have sold more than 50% of the seating capacity offered for ‘tonic’,” Dutta said.
Navin Choukhani, the owner of Navina, said, “Looking at the past, I initially had fear of footsteps.
Even though sales had been dipped, it didn’t reach me afraid,” Choukhani said.
At present, Navina can sell 410 tickets.
The ‘tonic’ night show on Saturday sold 240 tickets.
On Sunday, he sold 390 tickets.
“These sales can be explained if we take into account that a number of cinemas are often recovered after infection and want to watch movies,” he said.
Suranjan Paul, owner of the Minar-Bijoli-Chhabighar chain, said, “Some who have recovered now want to let their hair go down.
The cinema, for them, is a safe room,” Paul said.
Joydeep Mukherjee, who has a rental for stars, has reduced the number of performances to three out of five.
“However, with 50% residence offered, footsteps are fair enough,” he said.